Super-Couponing Tips: Staking Rebate Odds In Your Favor

Jill Cataldo, CTW Features

“Dear Jill,

Can you share how you keep track of rebates? I feel like I either mail them too late or lose track of them completely. It has turned me off from doing them sometimes because they get denied for the most ridiculous of reasons. All of this has made me apprehensive about rebating – but I also know there is a good amount of money to get back from them.”

Brenda K.

I love receiving additional money back on something I already planned to buy, but I’ve also been burned by rebates that never show up or were denied for ambiguous reasons. I’m happy to share my strategy for keeping rebates organized and stacking the odds in favor of actually receiving that cash back.

Get a paper receipt.

Many stores’ registers offer you the option of receiving a digital receipt or a paper receipt. However, most rebates require the original, paper cash register receipt and will not accept a printed digital copy.

Create a rebate folder.

I have a two-pocket folder in my kitchen that’s devoted solely to rebates. Inside, I keep a 12-month calendar, a stack of envelopes, stamps and return address labels. Whenever I buy a product that’s involved in a rebate, I place the receipt for that item in this folder, along with its corresponding rebate form. Many rebate forms are found in store or on the product itself, but increasingly, brands are asking shoppers to go online or send a text to receive the rebate form.

Some rebates require the UPC code or another proof of purchase from the product packaging. If you open the item and discard the box, you’ll also be throwing away one of the items essential to getting your rebate. Make sure you keep any required packaging pieces in your rebate folder too until you’re ready to fill everything out.

Pay attention to the rebate’s terms when completing the form. I like to use return address labels on my rebate forms, as it’s quicker than writing everything out, and I believe it’s more legible for the person validating the rebate too. However, I remember having one rebate denied for not being handwritten! Take a moment to read through all of the requirements and follow them accordingly.

Some multi-purchase rebates also exclude coupon discounts. I recently filled out a $15 rebate for purchasing $50 worth of skincare products. One of the items I bought was a $25.99 facial moisturizer. However, the store I purchased it at had a 50 percent off e-coupon in their app, so I paid $12.99. Under the terms of the rebate though, the post-coupon price is what counted toward the $50 total, not the pre-coupon price.

Document your rebate submission before sealing the envelope. I like to use my smartphone or tablet to snap photographs of the receipt, form and any other qualifying information before putting everything in an envelope, just in case I need copies of my submission. I also write the name and dollar amount of the rebate on the calendar in my rebate folder. Then, I make another note in the calendar around the time the rebate’s terms specify that it will be returned – usually four to six weeks out. Many rebates have a website address where you can check the status of your submission, so I write that in the calendar as well.

Mail your rebate early – not just “on time.” I have had rebates denied for being received after the “postmark by” date, even though I knew I mailed it before that day. I try to turn my rebates around quickly and get them in the mail long before the specified end date.

Once your rebate arrives, don’t forget to spend it. I recently submitted a rebate for small kitchen appliances, and the rebate arrived on a pre-paid credit card. However, the expiration date for the card is about three months from now. I place rebate cards like these in my wallet and try to use them quickly so that I don’t forget about them or let them expire.

Jill Cataldo, a coupon workshop instructor, writer and mother of three, never passes up a good deal. Learn more about Super-Couponing at her website, www.jillcataldo.com. Email your own couponing victories and questions to jill@ctwfeatures.com.